I will make my first foray (solo) into Quetico during the second two weeks of September. My previous couple of trips have been into BWCA. Here's the question, since Quetico does not have maintained campsites what do you take that you would not take into BWCA. Do you take a fire grate of some kind? And is a trowel adequate for digging holes and burying big jobs? Do you carry a camp saw or axe, and what sort? I hope to do some of my cooking (fish, pancakes...) over a fire rather than my camp stove and wonder if any of you have a favorite sort a skillet with enough metal to spread the heat adequately, but not so much that it adds more weight than I want to portage. Going light is important to me (late in my sixth decade). Thanks for any suggestions you want to offer. I'm getting excited. I hope many of you have already had some great trips this year.
David B

Sorry I did not give this thread a title and can't figure out how to do that after the submission. "Needed for Quetico, not necessary in BWCA" - might be appropriate.

Different items I take are a small trowel for sanitation and a fire grate.

I take the Purcell because I like to cook over the fire and wanted stainless steel for grilling, this is overkill but gives ya an idea of what to use.



Purcell grill--what I use

T

Yes to grate, yes to trowel, yes to saw and ax/ hatchet if you want to cook with fire.
Check out Purcell Trench Grills , small, light and tough. Careful on trowel choice.....took a tough plastic one once....it wasn't so tough and snapped. Small pull type pocket saws might work and save some space.....numerous ones out there. I always carry a small ax...even in BW....cuz ya never know.

For saw and axe, just do what you normally do for the BWCAW. I take both, but I do that in the BWCAW as well.

Cooking Laker on grill, Agnes Lake.




Ribeyes for 3

A nice light weight trowel like the Deuce of Spades is great or if you don't want to spend that much and weight is not an issue than go with a U-Dig-It trowel.
As for the grate, I agree with the others a Purcell grate is really nice. For a saw look at a Sven 21 inch saw and a small hatchet and good knife you can use to baton wood with.

As for a skillet since you are cooking over a fire get a cheap one at a Thrift store and cut the handle off and use a pot grabber with it.

No difference for me. I carry trowel in BWCA for those between campsite trips.

I do carry pasdport, RABC, and a credit card that I don't carry in BWCA.

quote David B: "Sorry I did not give this thread a title and can't figure out how to do that after the submission. "Needed for Quetico, not necessary in BWCA" - might be appropriate.


"

Click 'Edit' on your first post and enter a title in the one-line box that appears above your post's text box. Then submit.

Ditto on the Purcell Trench grill. A+
I like a Bob Dustrude saw.
I use a cheap plastic trowel I cut serrations into, works better in the roots than a regular one, unless it is very sharp. Put a bic lighter in the ziplock with the TP and practice "fire in the hole".

Barbless hooks is a biggie...and I always de-barb my hooks at home because it is a pain to do it when on the water.

I understand if you are in Ontario you need a rescue throw bag? Not a well known requirement, but you might want to confirm.

Joe

I use a grill from an old bbq grill that I had. Yes the throw bag goes with as well.
Saw,check. Axe,check. Trowel,no, I use a good stick.
~JOE~

quote joewildlife: "I understand if you are in Ontario you need a rescue throw bag? Not a well known requirement, but you might want to confirm.


Joe
"

Canada Safe Boating Guide

butthead

My understanding is that the Ontario boating regs do not apply to foreigners in boats of foreign registry. I chased that down for bailing device in any case.

Thanks for the info Butthead.

T

quote billconner: "My understanding is that the Ontario boating regs do not apply to foreigners in boats of foreign registry. I chased that down for bailing device in any case."

Good catch! See page 56 of the document Butthead shared.

Joe

Not sure, in the end, whether a rescue throw bag is needed or not, but I guess it would not make a lot of sense on a solo trip. This, of course, doesn't mean it is not required. I think I'll take my chances without. If I tip over I don't think it's likely enough that someone will show up to toss me the throw bag.

quote joewildlife: "

quote billconner: "My understanding is that the Ontario boating regs do not apply to foreigners in boats of foreign registry. I chased that down for bailing device in any case."

Good catch! See page 56 of the document Butthead shared.


Joe
"

Thanks. When this came up several years ago, I went through the CA legislation, not the guide, and iirc it was very clear.

quote joewildlife: "

quote billconner: "My understanding is that the Ontario boating regs do not apply to foreigners in boats of foreign registry. I chased that down for bailing device in any case."

Good catch! See page 56 of the document Butthead shared.


Joe
"

Thanks. When this came up several years ago, I went through the CA legislation, not the guide, and iirc it was very clear.

quote David B: "Not sure, in the end, whether a rescue throw bag is needed or not, but I guess it would not make a lot of sense on a solo trip. This, of course, doesn't mean it is not required. I think I'll take my chances without. If I tip over I don't think it's likely enough that someone will show up to toss me the throw bag. "

It is only needed if you plan to operate your boat/canoe 45 days or more in Ontario, that leaves most of us out. There is an exemption for foreigners, non-residents.

T

It's not the country of origin of the paddler, but where the watercraft is registered. As I read it, rent a Canadian registered canoe, you have to comply even if a US citizen. Likewise, a Canadian rents a boat in Ely, they are exempt.

Found the proof of citizenship interesting. I do carry passport or card when going to the Q.

Well, I'm renting a canoe in Canada (Canada registered) and presume the outfitter will provide all of the boat and safety equipment that is required. Of course I will have my passport card.

quote David B: "Well, I'm renting a canoe in Canada (Canada registered) and presume the outfitter will provide all of the boat and safety equipment that is required. Of course I will have my passport card."

I rented a canoe this summer from a Canadian outfitter. The throw bag was offered with the canoe. (Actually, it offered for a privately owned "American" canoe as well.)

dd

If you are on a solo, try to to lead yourself with the throw bag so you won't have to swim for it to save yourself.

This is a great point that I had not thought about. This messageboard is really good for getting these kinds of tips that might end up saving you if the situation would actually arise. Thanks so much. DB

Hello - Depends where you go, but many of the Canadian portages are a LOT rougher than the well maintained U.S. side. I love it, but once you are away from border lakes, I have found that Canadian portages are roughly 2x as hard. A 70 rod "feels" like a 140, with trees being down, etc. Just something to keep in mind.

Thank you. I have heard they are rougher and that's a part I don't look forward to. Maybe most of the downed trees will be cleared by this time by others - wishful thinking. Don't mind hard work as long as I don't get injured along the way. Maybe I will turn double portages into triple portages (No Country for Old Men?). DB

David, where in Q are you going? Don't let the comments about the Q portages scare you. They're no walk in a state park, but then again, neither are most of the BW portages. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and enjoy.

Thanks for the encouragement. I will make a loop starting and ending at Stanton Bay, down to Sturgeon and then across and back up through the poet's chain likely. Details still being worked through and my plan is quite flexible. I have 8 days and I will see where it takes me. Thanks again. David B

In terms of blowdown on portages - Quetico generally clears each portage once a summer (although some may be skipped, and some may get a second clearing if the park is told about significant new blow down problems after the first clearing). So basically some portages are cleared early in the summer, some in the middle of the summer, and some later in the summer. As a result, the end of the summer is when you are least likely to find significant blow down on Quetico portages - they have finally all been cleared.

In the past couple years they have also been improving some of the roughest portages that are frequently used - though for some of us, the "improvements" take away the character of some of the old crazy Quetico portage hazards. You know, mud holes, boulder gardens, sheer rock faces. The fun stuff! Fortunately, lots of that still remains. My advice is - look at any rougher portages as a new exciting challenge and pat yourself on the back after crossing them for doing something 99% of Americans would never dream of doing.* And when you find an especially easy one - enjoy that too. It's a win-win either way.

Have fun!

*In contrast, only 98% of Americans would never dream of doing most BWCA portages.

I skip tp and instead use paper towel to wipe my butt... better hand coverage. Since you are required to burn it anyway, why not? We use a rack out of an oven we were getting rid of. The great part of the oven rack is there are no sharp edges.

Wait, you take an over rack to burn the tp (paper towels)? Is that necessary?

quote David B: "Wait, you take an over rack to burn the tp (paper towels)? Is that necessary?"

I believe he is refering to taking an old oven rack to use to cook over at the fire pits as Quetico has no grates to the fire pits. He is not using it to solely burn his TP/paper towels over.

quote OldFingers57: "

quote David B: "Wait, you take an over rack to burn the tp (paper towels)? Is that necessary?"

I believe he is refering to taking an old oven rack to use to cook over at the fire pits as Quetico has no grates to the fire pits. He is not using it to solely burn his TP/paper towels over.
"

I was hoping that there was no connection when Pa2five mentioned "no sharp edges."

quote David B: "Wait, you take an over rack to burn the tp (paper towels)? Is that necessary?"

The oven rack is optional, but you are required to either burn your TP or pack it out. If it's buried animals dig it up to get to the "tasty" stuff it's buried with, and subsequent campers a met by TP strewn all around a campsite. I think it's hard to burn if you don't otherwise have a fire so we always just pack it out. It sounds a little gross at first but in fact it's not. It just goes in the garbage (gallon ziplock bags) and stays sealed up until tossed at home.

Ah, good. Didn't want to be burdened with an oven rack just to burn my tp. I'll be cooking on my stove but will burn the tp in the firepit. Good to keep those two separate, I think. Tongue in cheek - David B

If you don't have a fire at some point when you want to burn the TP, look for a tube of birch bark, tuck the TP in there, then light the birch bark. TP does not burn well without help.

Second what HoHo said: birch bark caddy to bring TP to the fire pit. I also gather dry twigs and wood shrapnel from the ground and build a little fire that burns brief and hot to reduce the TP to ash. Douse with water before leaving. On my June trip I hit two sites that had TP in the fire pit. Not considerate in the least.

quote Banksiana: "Second what HoHo said: birch bark caddy to bring TP to the fire pit. I also gather dry twigs and wood shrapnel from the ground and build a little fire that burns brief and hot to reduce the TP to ash. Douse with water before leaving. On my June trip I hit two sites that had TP in the fire pit. Not considerate in the least."

You are supposed to be burning the TP in the fire pit not any place else as you could end up having a ground fire or underground fire due to all of the forest duff.

Mr. Fingers- read the first line of my post: "birch bark caddy to bring TP to fire pit". Not sure how you interpreted that to be an endorsement of burning TP back in the woods. At two sites in June I found unburned TP in the fire pit left from a previous camper (also a book, and oatmeal packets), It is beyond inconsiderate to leave your TP for the next occupant to burn.

I'm only half-joking (using "tongue in cheek" just seems inappropriate for the subject matter) when I say hold your piss when you take a dump, burn your TP on the end of a stick over the hole, and then piss on the ashes before burying it. "Fire in the hole". Of course, never if conditions are dry, because yes if you get that duff layer burning you are in trouble. Do it right and no burning TP hits the ground anyway. During a fire ban neither "fire in the hole" or TP in the fire pit is an option anyway.